Productivity Hacks by Trivio.ai | Work smarter. Live more.
Hey there,
Welcome to Productivity Hacks. Three times a week, I'll hand you a few simple hacks you can try in minutes, at work and at home. No fluff, just stuff that gives you time back.
Today: a to-do list you can actually finish, a copy-paste trick most people never turn on, and a fix for the nightly "what's for dinner?" debate. Plus a bonus hack you won't see on my socials.
Hack 1: The 1-3-5 To-Do List
Quick win: Swap the endless list for 9 tasks a day: 1 big, 3 medium, 5 small. You end the day done instead of behind.
Before you open email, write down 1 big task: the one thing that would make today a win, like a proposal, a key call, or a project milestone.
Add 3 medium tasks, like follow-ups, meeting prep, or a quote to send.
Add 5 small tasks that take 10 minutes or less: quick replies, a CRM update, booking a lunch.
Do the big one first. Anything that doesn't fit goes on tomorrow's list.
Pro tip: Write tomorrow's 1-3-5 in the last 5 minutes of today. When an urgent fire shows up, it replaces a slot instead of piling on top.
Hack 2: The Clipboard Shortcut
Quick win: Windows remembers your last 25 copies, so you can paste any of them, not just the last one.
Press Win + V. The first time, click "Turn on" to switch on clipboard history.
Copy a few things in a row: an address, a quote number, a link, a short reply.
When you need one, press Win + V and click it. It pastes right where your cursor is.
Pin the ones you use every day, like your meeting link or email sign-off, so they stay after a restart.
On a Mac: install the free app Maccy, then press Shift + Cmd + C to open your clipboard history.
Hack 3: The Dinner Rotation
Quick win: Answer "what's for dinner?" once a week, not every night.
Give each weeknight a default: Monday pasta, Tuesday tacos, Wednesday sheet-pan chicken, and so on.
Write one grocery list that covers the whole rotation.
Buy that same list every week. Swap a night only when you feel like it.
Why it works: 10 minutes of planning, done once, and dinner is decided all week long.
Bonus Hack (email only): The Schedule-Send Rule
Quick win: Write emails whenever you want, but let them land at 8:00 AM. You clear your head at night without training people to expect late-night replies.
Gmail: click the little arrow next to Send, choose "Schedule send," and pick tomorrow morning.
Outlook (new Outlook and web): click the arrow next to Send, choose "Schedule send," and set the time.
Classic desktop Outlook: in the message, go to Options > Delay Delivery and set "Do not deliver before."
Sales pros: Draft tomorrow's follow-ups tonight and schedule them for when your buyers start their day. Your note sits near the top of their inbox instead of under the overnight pile.
Your turn: Which of these are you trying first? Hit reply and tell me. I read every one.
Talk soon,
Steve
Productivity Hacks by Trivio.ai. Work smarter. Live more.